The Walking Dead takes on a whole new meaning in the Oddverse.
Night ShiftAirdates: July 11, 2016 note , August 7, 2016 note
Olympia and Otis discover things are very different at Odd Squad at night.
Tropes:
- Adminisphere: Olympia and Otis are unfamiliar with the night shift and are unaware that their work styles are far different from theirs. They are set in routine, which Ms. O does warn them about beforehand, but Olympia and Otis disregard it, and as a result, they are forced to pay the price in the form of their desks and paperwork being lost, among other things.
- The Alleged Boss: Despite being an Odd Squad Director, Mr. O is hardly a leader, and severely lacks the confidence that most Directors (such as Oprah, Orville, and Olive and Otto) have.
- Alternate Catchphrase Inflection: The Catchphrase "Well, what are you waiting for? Go!" is common among Directors (and is part of the training for new Directors). However, compared to Ms. O's usual bold way of saying the phrase, the Mr. O of the night shift says it in a more melancholy monotone.
- Beware the Nice Ones: When it comes to arm-wrestling and thumb-wrestling, Olympia is not someone you want to mess with in those regards.
- Calvinball: There are apparently rules in place for the night shift, but if the Maintenance worker's rules are to be believed, most agents make up their own rules, and there aren't many rules that apply to the night shift as a whole.
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Inverted in the case of the Kratt Brothers — while Chris's signature color is green and Martin's is blue, the gadgets Olympia and Otis use on them have a green beam for Martin, and a blue beam for Chris.
- Creepy Monotone: The Mr. O of the night shift speaks in a strained, tired monotone.
- Crossover Punchline: The Cold Open features a Crossover with Wild Kratts as Chris and Martin parody the episode openings of that show. It's later revealed that they are coming to Olympia and Otis with odd problems of their own, and once they're fixed, the episode goes right back to parodying the opening of a Wild Kratts episode, only with Olympia and Otis as the starring "creatures". This is the first and only Crossover the show has had to date.
- The Cynic: Never has there been a more dismal, depressed character in this show than Mr. O of the night shift. He speaks in a Creepy Monotone that is laced with exhaustion, puts down Olympia's and Otis's grids, and has a generally negative outlook on life that isn't helped by his hatred of sunlight. It's revealed that when he became Director of the night shift, he had ideas for solving cases, but none of them worked, and his cynicism is thanks in part to his low self-esteem and self-confidence. Once he helps out Olympia and Otis with their Skunkbat case, he has a much higher view of himself and his abilities.
- Here We Go Again!: Mr. O of the night shift ends up releasing the Skunkbat that he trapped just a few seconds ago, true to the night shift's saying of "if you love something, set it free" — meaning that he, Olympia and Otis are forced to go and catch it again. Otis ends up remarking that it's going to be a long night.
- Insane Troll Logic: According to Mr. O, leaving paperwork in the Odd Squad Pool as it's being filled up is a fire hazard. Even though water normally takes out fire. Even by this show's standards, it's a huge leap in logic that leaves Otis confused.
- I Warned You: When Olympia and Otis decide to go ahead with working alongside the night shift despite Ms. O's warnings, the Director targets Olympia specifically and tells her not to say that she didn't warn her. Sure enough, Olympia and Otis go through hell and back even trying to solve their case (however, Ms. O books it as soon as the alarms go off signifying the other agents' arrivals, and doesn't get a chance to say "I warned you" to Olympia).
- Jaw Drop: Olympia does one when Mr. O points out that all of the places the Skunkbat hit are yellow.
- Loophole Abuse: Since Odd Squad doesn't have a night shift (in a broad sense, it's a workplace with 9-to-5 hours), villains began to create oddness at night. This led Ms. O to create a night shift to circumvent it. Unfortunately, the night shift agents don't do much in the realm of solving cases, and their routine would be completely ineffective at stopping villains.
- Medium Awareness: Both Olympia and Otis are aware of who Chris and Martin Kratt are and what they do, which implies that either they are prominent figures in the show's universe, or Wild Kratts happens to exist in their universe. Considering the brothers currently reside in Ottawa (which is a little ways from Toronto, where the show is set), it's hard to tell.
- Motor Mouth: Olympia delves into this when Ms. O tells her and Otis that the night shift works a little differently, even throwing in a Portmanteau of "nunch" (night lunch) at one point.
- No Name Given: None of the night shift agents are given proper names.
- Non-Indicative Name: The Skunkbat isn't a hybrid of a skunk and a bat, like what the name indicates. While it's not shown onscreen (except when bagged by Mr. O), it's described as taking the form of a baseball bat, and has a horrific smell like a skunk.
- One Crazy Night: The majority of the episode takes place in the span of a single night.
- One-Sided Arm-Wrestling: To get her files back from a Maintenance worker on the night shift, Olympia is forced to arm-wrestle her for them — a rule that the worker herself has made up. The worker is confident enough to flex her strength by performing Bicep Kisses on her arms, but only lasts in the match for 5 seconds. By the second time around, she enforces a new rule that Olympia has to thumb-wrestle her for the files, and ends up intimidated by Olympia's thumbs.
- The Outside World: Working in an Elaborate Underground Base where cases aren't worked on and solved (and thus, where there's little need to go outside), Mr. O has never seen the sun before, and asks Otis about it at one point. It's implied that he, as well as the rest of the night shift agents, are outright terrified of sunlight.
- The Quiet One: The night shift agents have a "talking ball" that they use to speak to each other. However, since it's stuck on the ceiling, no one talks to each other, and everyone remains quiet — including Mr. O, who doesn't talk much. However, a few agents do converse with Olympia and Otis, since they are part of the day shift.
- Security Blanket: The briefcase that Mr. O has may function like this, as he's almost never shown without it and clutches it close to his chest.
- Staring Contest: Olympia does a very brief one with the Maintenance worker when she steals her and Otis's map.
- Stealth Insult: One of the night shift agents working at Otis's desk calls him "sunshine" as an insult. It ends up flying right over his head, up until the agent explains the insult to him.
- Take a Number: Olympia is forced to do this when attempting to go through the tubes, despite there being absolutely no line whatsoever. She also is forced to take a number if she uses the stairs. Olympia decides to take a number for the tubes, but while she has number 539, the tube operator calls out number 44.
- Tempting Fate: When Otis tells Olympia that working alongside the night shift is a bad idea, Olympia retaliates by saying that it's their own case to solve, they've gotten a bunch of work done, and that the night shift couldn't possibly be bad. Of course, the night shift's eccentric ways of working grind on the partner pair's nerves constantly throughout the episode.
- Victory Through Intimidation: Olympia manages to get her files back from the Maintenance worker a second time (who wanted to thumb-wrestle her for them) by intimidating her using her thumbs and giving a threatening growl. The worker quickly changes her tune and doesn't even try to thumb-wrestle the Investigation agent.
- Water Torture: Olympia and Otis get sprayed with water at one point, as the interrogation room they're in turns out to be the Odd Squad Pool at night, and an agent was filling it up. Olympia goes to retrieve her and Otis's files so they can work somewhere else, only to find them gone.
- Workaholic: While Olympia has been established to be this before, this time around, the trope applies to Otis as well, as both of them stay overnight to find and capture a loose Skunkbat.
- "You!" Exclamation: Olympia does this when confronting the Maintenance worker for the second time.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Olympia says this when she finds that while she's number 539 in line for the tubes, the tube operator is on number 44.
Airdates: July 11, 2016 note , August 7, 2016 note
Coach O determines whether agents Olympia and Otis or Orielle and Oriele get to visit the unicorns in Cloud Town.
Tropes:
- All There in the Script: It's not stated what Coach O's department is in the episode, but future material such as the Odd Squad Agent's Handbook would list it as Athletics and Conflict Resolution.
- While mostly speculation, it's presumed that the name of the agent napping in the Pillow Room is Ollie, according to the credits.
- An Odd Place to Sleep: Played with. Instead of going to the Bedroom to sleep (which has been seen before in past episodes), an agent naps amongst the pillows in the Pillow Room, which manages to startle Oriele and Orielle.
- Bait-and-Switch: When Olympia asks Oona if the four agents can weigh some gadgets, Oona responds by saying that the answer is always..."sure!"
- Big "SHUT UP!": Inverted. Ms. O is able to shut up four of her agents by saying absolutely nothing, instead making a hand gesture as though she were turning a volume dial back.
- Big "WHAT?!": Ms. O has this reaction when Coach O declares that the two partner pairs are tied.
- Card Games: Ms. O is shown playing her own version of Concentration, complete with Odd Squad logo-backed cards and pictures of villains.
- Cold Open: Once again averted, as the episode opens on Olympia and Ms. O entering Ms. O's office.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Coach O can slip into this at times, as well-evidenced by the four agents being absolute nervous wrecks around him.
- Competition Freak: Olympia, Otis, Oriele and Orielle all become one over the course of the episode.
- Credits Gag: When Coach O puts down a point for Oriele and Orielle, he declares them the winners. The two girls begin cheering, and the background music swells as though it's the end of the episode, then the credits begin to roll. However, Coach O stops the credits (complete with Letting the Air out of the Band) as he clarifies that Oriele and Orielle won the first round, not the competition itself, and sends them to the penalty box for celebrating early.
- Death Glare: Olympia is not a happy camper
when she is sent to the penalty box after the first challenge for complaining to Coach O. - Establishing Character Moment: Coach O's first appearance in the episode is him living up to his name, as he yells at the agents as though it's a game that's Down to the Last Play.
- Exact Words: Coach O tasks the two partner pairs with bringing something back from the pillow room that is heavier than a medicine ball. Oriele and Orielle end up bringing back an agent. When Olympia protests by saying that they didn't bring back a pillow, Coach O reiterates his instructions, saying that the agent counts as a "something" and sending Olympia to the penalty box for complaining.
- Otis and Olympia later invoke this in order to win the final round, realizing that Coach O never specified they had to find one thing that weighs the same as the skate. They use the latter's shoe and a stapler in order to make the weight even. Unfortunately, they don't win, and it ends up being a tie.
- Exhaustion-Induced Idiocy: Olympia, tired and worn-out from the competition, places a comb on the pan balance as a way to see if it's the same weight as the skate. Otis, who's more determined, encourages her by saying that they've come too far to give up now.
- Finishing Each Other's Sentences: Orielle and Oriele do this often, and they even finish saying their sentence in unison at one point.
- It's taken up to extremes when they find an agent napping in the Pillow Room and get an idea on how to win the first competition.
Orielle: Oriele, are you thinking what I'm thinking?Oriele: Uh-huh, and also-Orielle: Yeah, but what about-Oriele: And we could-Orielle: Absolutely!Oriele: But also-Orielle: For sure.Oriele: Oh, I know something else!Orielle: That's what I was thinking![cut to Olympia with the utmost look of confusion on her face] - Flying Face: Parodied. Ms. O and the unicorn king of Cloud Town both appear as ghost heads during the final round of the competition, relaying what the two partner pairs are fighting for while they both find something that weighs the same as an ice skate.Ms. O: Whoever wins gets to go to Cloud Town.Unicorn King: I live in Cloud Town! I shall grant you a wish.Ms. O: The unicorn king will grant you a wish!Unicorn King: I already said that part.Ms. O: Sorry, it's...hard to hear, because I'm a ghost head.Unicorn King: That's cool. We all make mistakes. [keeps flying around in-frame before moving out] Whoops!
- Go to Your Room!: Coach O's penalty box functions like this to an extent, as he sends Olympia to it for complaining, Orielle and Oriele to it for celebrating early, and Otis to it for simply standing by himself.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: Oriele and Orielle, to the point where they almost look and act entirely identical (save for the hairstyles). At some points, they act like the same entity, Finishing Each Other's Sentences and sharing a telepathic bond with each other. This is in contrast to Olympia and Otis, who are close and do share a bond, but not to the extent of the two girls (not to mention Olympia is female, while Otis is male).
- Idiosyncratic Wipes: This episode introduces a new one for Coach O, in the form of his department's logo, a whistle.
- It's the Best Whatever, Ever!: Oriele and Orielle both agree that, upon arriving in Cloud Town, it's the best day ever.
- Leitmotif: Coach O has one that is upbeat and drum-filled, fitting for his status and department.
- MacGuffin: The crystal orb of power Ms. O has that needs to be delivered to Cloud Town. Presumably, it functions as the equivalent of an oil source for the kingdom.
- Married to the Job: Say what you will about Coach O, but he is incredibly dedicated to his job. If you're not there for any sports-related thing and are instead there for a competition, he'll mistake you for an athlete and push you to your limits.
- Mistaken Identity: As a Running Gag, Coach O gets the two partner pairs confused for other sports teams he has. His first appearance has him mistaking them for the Odd Squad football team, while the end of the episode has him mistake Olympia and Otis for members of the Odd Squad racquetball, then bowling, then lacrosse, then swim teams. Justified by the fact that it's later revealed in an OddTube episode that he has a horrible memory.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Ms. O accidentally calls two partner pairs into her office to assign them the same case, which kickstarts the plot.
- Playing Both Sides: It's eventually revealed that the competition was a ploy of Coach O's that he made up in order to get Olympia and Otis, and Oriele and Orielle, to fight each other and learn how to work together.
- The Power of Friendship: Orielle and Oriele have a level of partner chemistry that surpasses not only Olympia and Otis, but even Olive and Otto, to the point where they can speak telepathically to each other (and function more like twins than the brother-sister relationship those like Olive and Otto have). When Olympia tries speaking telepathically to Otis later on, it doesn't work on him, but Orielle and Oriele can understand what she's saying perfectly.
- Showdown at High Noon: The third and final round is a parody of this, as Olympia and Otis face down Oriele and Orielle, with appropriate music to match.
- Solid Clouds: Cloud Town has these, and Olympia, Otis, Orielle and Oriele (as well as the Orb of Power) are all able to stand on them without falling through.
- Take a Third Option: Instead of having only Orielle and Oriele or only Olympia and Otis go to Cloud Town, Olympia comes up with another solution. She and Otis go to Cloud Town and use the wish they have to send the two girls to Cloud Town in their places to complete the mission, something Ms. O regards as clever.
- Terrible Artist: Coach O has a drawing of a cat on his whiteboard (with arrows and X's, natch), and asks the partner pairs what it looks like. When Otis looks at it and nervously asks him if it's a cat, the coach slams the whiteboard on the table and switches gears as he gives the partner pairs their first challenge.
- Theme Twin Naming: While not twins (they're work partners), Orielle and Oriele's names are separated only by one letter.
- Twin Telepathy: Oriele and Orielle both have this ability. Olympia and Otis, on the other hand, do not.Olympia: Otis, let me tell you something with my mind![her eyes move back and forth as the camera zooms in on her face]Otis: Yeah, I don't know how to do that.
- Unsportsmanlike Gloating: Both Oriele and Orielle slip into this at times.
- Welcome Episode: This episode marks the formal introduction of Coach O, after he was mentioned in two previous episodes.
- What Have We Ear?: Oona does this with Orielle, pulling a small gadget from behind her ear.Oona: I have been waiting to do that trick ever since I got here!
- Worldbuilding: This episode introduces Cloud Town, which is the home of unicorns that have the ability to grant someone a wish if they do something nice for them.
- Odd Squad is also home of various sport teams, such as the tennis and football teams. Coach O, naturally, coaches them all.
- The Pillow Room is introduced. True to its name, it's full of pillows, and agents sometimes come to the room to nap.
